Pictorial display device



April 20, 1948. ALLEN PICTORIAL D ISPLAY DEVICE Filed Sept. 25, 1945 N.T my L l A H I n m L H Y I B Patented Apr. 20, 1948 UNITED s TATE sPATENT OFFiflE, 2,440,062

PICTORIAL nrsrnar nnvlon Lini Allen, Berkeley, Calif.Applicationseptember 25, 1945, Seria1'NoJ6-l8503 The present inventionrelates to a pictorialdisplay device, and more particularly to aseasonal novelty for children by which interest, anticipation andsurprise in certain coming events may beprogressively built up.

An object of the invention is to provide a novelty for use duringseasonal periods of the year .to-stimulate a childs interest in a comingevent.

Another object of the invention is to provide a-pictorial display devicehaving manipulatable 'partswhich, when operated, will successivelyreveal material in the form of pictures 'or script that is symbolic of aparticular date during the period covered by the device.

In the development of a childs education, one of the most satisfactorymethods is to associate an idea with a picture or verse pertinentthereto, andwhen the idea of time and events is involved, a betterunderstanding of the significance and spirit of a holiday season orhistorical event may be eifectively presented in an interesting mannerby association with particular dates. It is, therefore, a furtherobjectof the invention to provide a calendar-like novelty havingmanipulatable parts in association with pictures, verses and/or otherintelligence-conveying means in a manner that will stimulate interestand impress the mind of a child.

Other objects and advantages of the invention Will be in part evident tothose skilled in the art, and in part pointed out hereinafter in thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,wherein there is shown by way of illustration and not of limitationpreferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawing;

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view showing the front face of a pictorialdisplay device constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view showing another portion of the device ofthe type contemplated by Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a slightly enlarged fragmentary view showing in more detaila-portion of the device illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary front view of a device constructed inaccordance with the invention and embodying a different design, and

Figure 5 shows a novelty of the latter type, completed and having asuitable supporting frame by which it may be hung from a wall or othersupport.

Graphic displays made in accordance with this invention may beassociated with any particular season or.historica1 event by merelyarranging the physical features to conform with the ornamentation ordesign which may be reproduced on the face thereof. In Figure 1 there isillustrated a seasonal display device which is particularly adapted foruse during its Christmas season, and

"member- -l2 may be in l'conformity'therewitli itherornamentatien uponthe :face' 'includes-rthe soutline :rof :azchaletzhaving balconies :anda? plurality ofshuttered :windows. The chalet is pictured-upona'melatively stiff member f cardboard :oriothenlike material which willform the-front ;of:a 1display.-.umt; With such a design, where'thewindows .of 'llhefchfltlfit appear, the member rlzfl is rout iisoias'tosform hinged portions ll that may-ibe'rturnedputwardly'to expose toview -=any-illustration or; other matter which may bein'registertherewith; In'nddition to being hinged, the porticn'srl 1, whemclosed;:are

adapted to carry :numbers on their exposed :sides corresponding withithe .datesvof ai-particular month or season. In the :lpnesent instance:the device is designed for the echristmasaseason and, therefore, thedates warehnlyicarried up to and including .thei25th ofthesmontmwh-ichzis Christmas Day, Arranged behind; the'f-ront portion itthere is avsecond'sheet like memberizlz upon which there are providedspaced-rzareasrls having symbols, pictures or articles-and/onverses*which are positioned thereupon inf-such -.a :manner that they Will'eachregister with a-Window of the chalet and thus flcome intoview-mas ;.thedated hinged portions 1 ate successively turned :outwardly during thecourse of th'e period involved. In this showing the member i carriesillustrations of articles that might be consideredsuitable presents fordifferent members A of a -family. In this connection it might be added'lthat in this manner the displays-maybe made np for acceptance "bydifferent age groups merely by varyingthe natureof theillus'trationor-verses carried by the areas 13" of "the member [2. For example, themember I 2 may carry illustrations of "presents that *would-b'e-de'simed by bcys -orgirls and of different-ages. *Likewis'e;if thedevice is to cover the Easter --season, the areas I-3 of the provided wlth appropriate biblical verses:

As is more clearly-indicatedinFigure- 3 of the drawing, when the parts"i 0 and +2 have been assembled in this manner, it will bepossible forthe-child to turn out-the hinged'portions l l of the front portion in"on the dates "of the month 'carried thereby andthus dailybring intoView the symbols, illustrations and/or other "material carried by theareas 13 of themember 1'2 and thus bring to mind gifts desired by theindividual or which may be given-to another. For example, in theinstance illustrated, byonening the hinged portion H 'carryingthe firstdated the month, here sh0Wn as applied to the door'of a doghouse, thechild will expose .to view a pair ofiska'tes as a possible Christmaspresent. Inth'e same manner, by opening the hingedlportions vll carryingthe second "date of the month; there we Id be revealed a bookcase withbooks, or a comparable article that might also be a present in contem--dividually inserted thus to effect a change in the nature of thepicture or the like which will be exposed upon a turning out of thehinged portions l of the member I.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose theinvention so that the same can be readily understood, described andilluswhich a front cover portion, designated by thenumeral I4, iscolored and ornamented to depict a conventional Christmas tree uponwhich there is blocked out twenty-five rectangular areas that carry therespective dates of the month up to and including the this instance theportion I4 is cut at these several rectangular areas so as to provideoutwardly swinging hinged door-like portions l5 that may be swungoutwardly to expose pictures, symbols and/or verses carried by'a secondmember l6 which is positioned therebehind. The pictures, symbols orother matter upon the member 16 are likewise arranged to register withthe datecarrying rectangular areas of the member 14, as above indicatedin connection with Figure 2 of the drawing. In this instance the hingeddoorlike portion l5, which carries the 12th date of the month, whenopened, is shown as exposing a spinning top which may be suitable as agift for a small boy. Likewise, the hinged members l5, which carry the23rd date of the month, when swung out as here shown, will reveal adifferent toy, here illustrated as a scooter. In like manner all of thehinged portions 15 will reveal different toys when opened on successivedates.

From the above it will be seenthat the size and shape of the front andback portions of the device will be such as to conform with theornamentation appearing upon its front portion Ill of the calendar,andto complete the assembly, if desired, these two members, whenproperly associated with each other, may be firmly secured together witha suitable adhesive or, in a more elaborate arrangement, the device maybe provided with a frame 11, as indicated in Figure 5 of the drawing.

As a further modification it is also contemplated ,that the completednovelty, having sunlmanner appropriate to the Christmas season, severalseparately usable back portions 12 may be provided, each withillustrations that will be appropriate to the different ages of agrowing child. By the same token, if a number of the back portions I2are provided, each having illustrations in different categories, it willbe possible to produce displays that may be rendered appropriate at anyone time for either a boy or girl, and of varying ages, by merelysubstituting one for the other of these several back portions l2.

If it should be desirable to impart a toy-like characteristic to thedevice, the arrangement illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawing might beprovided with a box-like frame I! having a slot 18 in the top or theside thereof through which any one of a number of the. members l4,carrying different symbols, picturesor verses, might be in- 25th, orChristmas Day, In

trated specific devices and arrangements, it is to be understood thatthe invention is not limited to the, specific forms disclosed, but maybe embodied in other forms that will suggest themselves topersons-skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is newand it is desired to claim it so that all such changes as come withinthe scope of the appended claims are to be consid ered as part of thisinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A pictorial display device, intended for'the progressive revelationand display of graphic representations over a pre-selected period oftime in a manner combining the elements of surprise and suspense, whichcomprises: a planar backing element containing upon a surface thereof aplurality of divisions of graphic material of varied substance and form;a cover sheet superimposed upon said backing element so as to concealthe graphic material'contained upon the confronting surface of thebacking element; a plurality of viewing apertures disposed in said coversheet in number and orientation corresponding to the underlyingdivisions of graphic material contained upon the backing element; aclosure for each of said apertures arranged to conceal the underlyinggraphic material, respectively, of each of the divisions when in closedposition, and to reveal said material when in open position; suitableindicia associated with each aperture and closure by which it may beidentified, and by which, in

' relation to each other, a progressive sequence for the consecutiverevelation and displayof the underlying graphic material might beestablished; and a pictorial design upon the outer face of said coversheet in which the apertures and closures thereof are artisticallyaccommodated asarepresentational part so as to become integrated therebyinto a logical association.

2. The invention recited in claim 1,,in which the backing element andcover sheet are separable to allow for the substitution and association,respectively, of other conforming backing elementsand cover sheetstherewith to renew the displays and to vary the presentations thereof.

LINI ALLEN.

REFERENCES CITED j The following references are of record the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATEN'IS 7 Date Number Name 1666,999. Borden Jan. 29, 1901705,607 Peterson July 29, 1902 1,169,738,- Smiley Jan. 25, 19161,290,348 Hawk Oct. 3, 1916 1,329,250 Lonson, f. Jan, 27, .19201,478,425 Dickinson ,Dec. 25,, 1923 1,490,295 Stephens .Apr..15, 19242,199,699 Worth Mar. 1, 1938 2,179,168 Alexander; Nov. 7, 1939 2,305,283Theilkas Dec. 15,1942

John to e 9. 1

